The following appeared in an article written by Dr. Karp, an anthropologist.
"Twenty years ago, Dr. Field, a noted anthropologist, visited the island of Tertia and concluded from his observations that children in Tertia were reared by an entire village rather than by their own biological parents. However, my recent interviews with children living in the group of islands that includes Tertia show that these children spend much more time talking about their biological parents than about other adults in the village. This research of mine proves that Dr. Field's conclusion about Tertian village culture is invalid and thus that the observation-centered approach to studying cultures is invalid as well. The interview-centered method that my team of graduate students is currently using in Tertia will establish a much more accurate understanding of child-rearing traditions there and in other island cultures."
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
The author of the article believes that Dr.Field's conclusion about Tertian village culture is invalid because of his observation-centered approach to studying the culture as well as evidence from author's own team of researchers that suggests otherwise. Dr.Karp further goes on to claim that observation-centered studies, as a whole, are invalid. While some of Dr.Field's new found research may very well be true, there are some faulty jumps and unanswered questions in her argument that undermine its validity.
First of all, it is fallacious to assume that because children spend more time talking about their biological parents, it automatically means that they played a more significant role in their upbringing. Perhaps, the interview questions were posed more so around who their biological parents were rather than who raised them. This premise would naturally lead these children to talk about their parents rather than their village, even if the village played a larger part in the children's upbringing. Furthermore, people do not always talk about the things that are most important to them. For example, a child could talk about his new toy or new favorite television show for hours, but this does not necessarily mean that it is the most important thing in his or her life. Without knowing more about the correlation between the quantity spent talking about a subject and the importance it plays in someone's life, along with the types of questions asked in the interviews, we cannot unequivocally accept the findings of Dr.Karp's research.
Secondly, it may be true that Dr.Field's conclusion was false. However, this does not imply that all observation-centered approaches to culture are invalid. How many other cases of observation-centered approaches to culture have been proven invalid? It could be the case that only Dr.Field's research study was false, but most other observation-centered approaches have proven to be accurate. It is also the case that their were other unknown factors in play that caused Dr.Field's particular case of an observation-centered study to give false results. Maybe his team was not as rigorous with their standards as other scientists using a similar research approach are. Hence, this line of Dr.Karp's reasoning severely undermines her overall argument.
Lastly, how can one confirm that Dr.Karp's interview based approach is more accurate than Dr.Field's observation approach. Has an unbiased third party confirmed or denied her results? Has her work and methodology been peer reviewed? Dr.Karp's personal bias could lead her to believe the superiority of her own research methods over the research methods of others. Until her work and her methedology has been throroughly reviewed by other researchers, we cannot conclude that her method of research is better that Dr.Field's work and consequently that her results are more accurate.
While Dr.Karp has made some interesting claims about the Tertian culture and provided evidence to back it up, some of the faulty statements that Dr.Karp has made, like the argument that if one culture-based observation-centered approach is invalid, every culture-based observation-centered approach is invalid, severely undermine her credibility. Furthermore, without more details on her interview-centered method and confirmation from the research community that Dr.Karp's methodologies are more accurate and superior to others, it is difficult to accept any of Dr.Karp's arguments as demonstrably true. Answers to some of the questions mentioned above and a more cautious, well-developed conclusion could improve the validity of Dr.Karp's claims.
Comments
Essay evaluation report
Attribute Value Ideal
Final score: 3.0 out of 6
Category: Satisfactory Excellent
No. of Grammatical Errors: 0 2
No. of Spelling Errors: 0 2
No. of Sentences: 24 15
No. of Words: 574 350
No. of Characters: 3013 1500
No. of Different Words: 252 200
Fourth Root of Number of Words: 4.895 4.7
Average Word Length: 5.249 4.6
Word Length SD: 3.219 2.4
No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 211 100
No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 174 80
No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 118 40
No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 72 20
Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0
Avg. Sentence Length: 23.917 21.0
Sentence Length SD: 11.165 7.5
Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.75 0.12
Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.32 0.35
Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.527 0.50
Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.226 0.07
Number of Paragraphs: 5 5
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 44, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
... author of the article believes that Dr.Fields conclusion about Tertian village cultur...
^^^^^^
Line 1, column 257, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karp
...researchers that suggests otherwise. Dr.Karp further goes on to claim that observati...
^^^^
Line 1, column 347, Rule ID: SENTENCE_FRAGMENT[1]
Message: “While” at the beginning of a sentence requires a 2nd clause. Maybe a comma, question or exclamation mark is missing, or the sentence is incomplete and should be joined with the following sentence.
...tered studies, as a whole, are invalid. While some of Dr.Fields new found research ma...
^^^^^
Line 1, column 364, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
... a whole, are invalid. While some of Dr.Fields new found research may very well be tru...
^^^^^^
Line 5, column 1023, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
...unequivocally accept the findings of Dr.Karps research. Secondly, it may be true...
^^^^^
Line 9, column 34, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
.... Secondly, it may be true that Dr.Fields conclusion was false. However, this doe...
^^^^^^
Line 9, column 284, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
...alid? It could be the case that only Dr.Fields research study was false, but most othe...
^^^^^^
Line 9, column 473, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
... unknown factors in play that caused Dr.Fields particular case of an observation-cente...
^^^^^^
Line 9, column 690, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
...ch approach are. Hence, this line of Dr.Karps reasoning severely undermines her overa...
^^^^^
Line 13, column 37, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
... Lastly, how can one confirm that Dr.Karps interview based approach is more accura...
^^^^^
Line 13, column 93, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
...based approach is more accurate than Dr.Fields observation approach. Has an unbiased t...
^^^^^^
Line 13, column 235, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
... and methodology been peer reviewed? Dr.Karps personal bias could lead her to believe...
^^^^^
Line 13, column 514, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Fields
...er method of research is better that Dr.Fields work and consequently that her results ...
^^^^^^
Line 17, column 1, Rule ID: SENTENCE_FRAGMENT[1]
Message: “While” at the beginning of a sentence requires a 2nd clause. Maybe a comma, question or exclamation mark is missing, or the sentence is incomplete and should be joined with the following sentence.
...hat her results are more accurate. While Dr.Karp has made some interesting claim...
^^^^^
Line 17, column 10, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karp
...esults are more accurate. While Dr.Karp has made some interesting claims about ...
^^^^
Line 17, column 111, Rule ID: SOME_OF_THE[1]
Message: Simply use 'some'.
Suggestion: some
...re and provided evidence to back it up, some of the faulty statements that Dr.Karp has made...
^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 17, column 149, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karp
..., some of the faulty statements that Dr.Karp has made, like the argument that if one...
^^^^
Line 17, column 468, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
...ion from the research community that Dr.Karps methodologies are more accurate and sup...
^^^^^
Line 17, column 566, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
...rs, it is difficult to accept any of Dr.Karps arguments as demonstrably true. Answers...
^^^^^
Line 17, column 615, Rule ID: SOME_OF_THE[1]
Message: Simply use 'some'.
Suggestion: some
...uments as demonstrably true. Answers to some of the questions mentioned above and a more ca...
^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 17, column 733, Rule ID: SENTENCE_WHITESPACE
Message: Add a space between sentences
Suggestion: Karps
...lusion could improve the validity of Dr.Karps claims.
^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, consequently, first, furthermore, hence, however, if, lastly, may, second, secondly, so, third, well, while, for example, talking about, as well as, first of all
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 29.0 19.6327345309 148% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 10.0 12.9520958084 77% => OK
Conjunction : 14.0 11.1786427146 125% => OK
Relative clauses : 22.0 13.6137724551 162% => OK
Pronoun: 64.0 28.8173652695 222% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 62.0 55.5748502994 112% => OK
Nominalization: 17.0 16.3942115768 104% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3089.0 2260.96107784 137% => OK
No of words: 557.0 441.139720559 126% => OK
Chars per words: 5.54578096948 5.12650576532 108% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.85807034144 4.56307096286 106% => OK
Word Length SD: 3.29333311663 2.78398813304 118% => OK
Unique words: 268.0 204.123752495 131% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.481149012567 0.468620217663 103% => OK
syllable_count: 936.9 705.55239521 133% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.7 1.59920159681 106% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 11.0 4.96107784431 222% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 3.0 8.76447105788 34% => OK
Subordination: 5.0 2.70958083832 185% => OK
Conjunction: 2.0 1.67365269461 119% => OK
Preposition: 5.0 4.22255489022 118% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 24.0 19.7664670659 121% => OK
Sentence length: 23.0 22.8473053892 101% => OK
Sentence length SD: 73.7795021029 57.8364921388 128% => OK
Chars per sentence: 128.708333333 119.503703932 108% => OK
Words per sentence: 23.2083333333 23.324526521 100% => OK
Discourse Markers: 7.16666666667 5.70786347227 126% => OK
Paragraphs: 5.0 5.15768463074 97% => OK
Language errors: 21.0 5.25449101796 400% => Less language errors wanted.
Sentences with positive sentiment : 13.0 8.20758483034 158% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 4.0 6.88822355289 58% => More negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 7.0 4.67664670659 150% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.183798830439 0.218282227539 84% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0619762190822 0.0743258471296 83% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0414302578418 0.0701772020484 59% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.115555684213 0.128457276422 90% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0312026084525 0.0628817314937 50% => Paragraphs are similar to each other. Some content may get duplicated or it is not exactly right on the topic.
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 16.3 14.3799401198 113% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 39.67 48.3550499002 82% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.1628742515 123% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 13.4 12.197005988 110% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 15.21 12.5979740519 121% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.38 8.32208582834 101% => OK
difficult_words: 127.0 98.500998004 129% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 14.0 12.3882235529 113% => OK
gunning_fog: 11.2 11.1389221557 101% => OK
text_standard: 14.0 11.9071856287 118% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.